Samsung, LG curb Mexico travel as swine flu fears grow

SEOUL, April 29 (Yonhap) -- Two major South Korean companies began restricting or
banning employees from traveling to Mexico on Wednesday as the number of deaths
from a deadly swine flu epidemic continued to rise there.

The outbreak has reportedly killed as many as 159 people in Mexico, with cases
also being reported in the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Spain and Israel.
The World Health Organization has said the contagious influenza virus is capable
of human-to-human transmission, prompting health experts to speculate that the
global body may declare the first flu pandemic in 40 years.
South Korean firms operating plants in Mexico have been on alert but none were
considering halting production there.
Samsung Electronics Co., the world's largest maker of computer memory chips, has
restricted its employees from traveling Mexico.
Officials at Samsung Electronics and its affiliate Samsung SDI Co., which have
plants in the Mexican city of Tijuana, said they were closely monitoring
developments in the country and have set up measures to protect against swine
flu.
"There was a report of 16 suspected cases of swine flu in Tijunana, but no
particular problem was detected at the plants of Samsung Electronics and Samsung
SDI," said a senior official at the company.
LG Electronics Inc., the world's third-largest maker of mobile phones, restricted
employees from visiting Mexico on Monday, and took further steps to protect
employees in Mexico on Wednesday.
"As part of precautionary measures, we advised employees in Mexico to wear masks
at work," an LG official said.
Other South Korean firms, including Korea Air Lines Co. and STX Pan Ocean Co.,
were also taking measures to protect against swine flu.
In Seoul, meanwhile, health authorities said they were investigating five South
Koreans suspected of suffering from swine flu, following one "probable" case on
Tuesday.
The health ministry said previously there were nine suspected cases but later
revised that figure after tests on four returned negative.
(END)